The Lone Blade
by blackgetsuga
Summary: Following the loss of his powers the saviour is left behind, and when he regains new powers they are no longer to protect them. Kurosaki Ichigo cuts his bonds with his friends how will they be able to deal with a new enemy or worse is it Ichigo who is the mysterious foe?
1. Chapter 1

**okay this is my new story it was inspired by reading "wanderlust"** **(check it out it's awesome) and the idea that Ichigo might not always forgive those who have abandoned him. Please enjoy. **

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The Lone Blade

**Prolouge**

It began perhaps with a shift of opinion. Or maybe it had been there in the beginning.

It grew as time went on more so, as he found himself alone staring out the window, at the walls, at the badge.

It was perhaps after the third time that he had been professionally decoyed and denied access to the Urahara shop that Ichigo lost the desired to go back.

The following days after his loss of power had led him to assume everything would be okay. Orihime had shadowed him along with Chad cheerful and concerned respectively. Even Ishida was around a bit. It had lightened his heart and pushed away the doubt niggling in his mind.

Say goodbye to Rukia had been a bit more painful but it wasn't like she was dead. Urahara sold gigais regularly (no matter how outrageous the price) and it wouldn't be too hard to get one once in awhile when she dropped in. In fact any of his shinigami companions could come see him if they wanted maybe even the visored would stop by.

For about a month these thoughts lightened him and healed him. He could live through the nightmares and the chilling silence of his soul if he had people to talk to, friends to distract him, the assurance that they would be there.

Except they weren't.

By the beginning of the third post war month he realized this wasn't an option. The three who had stuck with him through everything even when he hadn't wanted it were avoiding him. Not in the run-from-the-room way but the dismissive way as if he was incapable of conversing with without a reference to shinigami. But the former substitute supposed he could understand: it would be odd talking to someone who was useless in the world they now knew about. It stung but he took it in stride and swallowed down the pain, cramming it down so it wouldn't show. Because he still had human friends it wouldn't be that bad.

Except he didn't, because he saw less of Tatsuki, Mizuiro, and Keigo as the days passed. But this technically made sense too seeing as they now possess an inkling of power and could 'see' naturally they were curious. So, Ichigo started giving them some space so it was easier to have hushed conversations that stopped when he approached and got used to eating lunch alone on the roof. School would be out soon anyway and its not like he say his friends 24/7 and besides it would give him some time to spend with his family (excluding his father, thank you very much). His sisters were always asking for him to stay home longer.

Except for the fact that Karin was never home and even came home way past dinner on occasion, to the ire of absolutely noone due to the fact that a certain goat was off at the Urahara Shop reconvening with old friends (he used to get kicked in the face for that; what the hell?).

As more time passed Ichigo came to realize Karin's extra practice was actually time spent at the Urahara shop.

( "I'm learning about ghosts Ichi-nee that's all."

"Why did you have to lie?" _to me_

"It's not like it's that important besides I didn't want to bother you about you know er-")

Ichigo let her stammer out excuses before he said okay and ruffled her hair eliciting a smile before she runs off (to who can guess where) and Ichigo watches her blankly feeling something twist in his chest.

The only thing that is his saving grace is Yuzu. And though she's older and is always out with friends (the girl had gotten popular), she still cooks (and bullies Ichigo into taking a second serving) and cleans and is more observant than anyone gives her credit for, just like a mother. Its probably why she sticks around the house when no one is home and she may (and shame wells up in him at the thought) have noticed his not so restful nights if the plate of chocolate cookies he snacks on at who knows what time, when he can't sleep (freshly made, nightly) are anything to go by.

It's times like that when he misses the parts of his soul. The quiet silence has become loud deafening sometimes it is unbearable

Time passes and Ichigo sends more and more time alone (not necessarily his fault). It's good for his grades since he has nothing else to occupy his time with, to occupy his mind with; his restless mind. It's not like anyone's home anymore and it's not like he can talk to any of them stature slowly becomes that of a tired, ill person. A tired slouch on his back, bags under his duller honey brown eye; tan skin a shade paler due to lack of outside activity. In the morning a world weary person stares back at him hauntingly.

In the time span of seven months Ichigo Kurosaki has lost himself. And his friends. And his family. And two thirds of his soul.

Eventually he stops keeping up the facade up, stops saying 'it's all okay' to himself. Allowing all the weights to thoroughly anchor him down under the water of despair; of a flooded world. And gradually fueled by understanding and solitude and pain and preservation,

'Why would they?' become 'How dare they.'

~! # $%$#%~

Deep within a world that doesn't exist to the eye of any normal being.

A woman encased in metal awoke as she realized her wielder needed her.

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**so that is the beginning. I know ichigo's friends are being terrible but that's the point and I'm not going to be bashing them thorughout the story there will be an actual plot and some OC's also. I'll explain more in my next chapter**

**please read and reveiew but don't be cruel!**

**Tune in next time for more of this story **

**the more reveiws the faster chapter 1 comes out**


	2. Chapter 2

**So this chapter is kind of late (by kind of I mean totally and completly late) because I had to change the plot a little to fix something I made a huge mistake in my planning.**

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_"the chains binding mine soul fall to the ground and my head raises with no difficulty."_

Chapter One

Yuzu smiled at her brother cheerfully as she handed him her lunch. Her eyes brightened at the light in his brother had bounced back over the past week. His shoulders no longer slumped, the weariness was gone from his eyes, and the shadows under his eyes had faded greatly. After she had learned about the spiritual world and what her brother had been doing, she had been anxious and worried for him. Karin had happily entered the world after she had been invited (or invited herself). Yuzu had been a bit more cautious because she couldn't see very well and especially when she realized her brother could no longer see this world. (what was the point of interacting with it if her brother was no longer involved). She reinforced this idea after she realized how her brother was being treated by his friends, how they abandoned him, including Tatsuki (what right did they have to enter the world, they _were_ as weak as her). So, she decided she would treat this world as she did before (except for holding it in awe, she couldn't even understand why Karin wanted to be in the world so much; maybe it had something to do with that white haired boy...).

She watched her brother's receding back and a tiny frown formed on her lips. Her brothers different mood didn't change the fact that he was still alone and still had nightmares. What could have changed? She didn't wish to dwell on the fact that something could be wrong especially when he was better but, she wasn't a Kurosaki for nothing; she was extremely observant, and she could tell...

Something had changed about her big brother and she wasn't sure whether or not it was for the better.

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_Moving within the world was more difficult than she expected. She's already expended every reserve of her strength to break through the metal that preserved her. She lets her body float away. She needs to leave before _he _notices._

_She is not alone in this worlds there are others; they are asleep, in such a deep sleep that they are barely alive._

_She focuses and sees the light and allows herself to float outside of the world. _

_this time she will not fail, this time she will not be alone._

_When her strength is almost gone she lands the grass around her is green or at least it used to be; the grass burns away as her reiatsu caresses it. The change it atmosphere causes her power to rip away form her._

_She falls forward long silvery strands brushing the ground as her blue eyes water with pain. She quickly pulled her self together as she felt other reiatsu approaching her vicinity. She could not provoke them or be caught not yet, not now; then she would never reach her._

_He would never have the chance to meet her._

_And when they met all would be well..._

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There is no more flinching when he walks by them, no more pained glances, no more out of your way avoidances. He could swear that the world had changed it's position, it was all so different. So _good _different. School becomes normal again; his seclusion has lead to a boost in his grades, which is rather nice being a substitute had seriously crippled his school life. He made no effort to be socially active; he couldn't take hanging out with such care free people Even if he was doing better he felt so disconnected, lonely. even his family was on a different wavelength of him. He no longer let his past weigh him down but, it is still present, looming.

But his is his life now and he will deal with it.

And then it happens during a boring class where he's almost falling asleep, suddenly something niggles on the edge of his senses. An eerily familiar sensation that is so shocking his head snaps up.

He watches as his former associates all blast out of the room, but his mind is elsewhere...

Did he just sense a hollow?

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**yes I realize this chapter is late and it was really bad but now that this is out of the way i can start the real story and actual stuff**


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